Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has told a Polish-born Australian citizen who wants months of welfare back-paid to pack her bags and go home if she is not happy.
Agnieszka Swiatlowska, 38, receives $530 a fortnight as part of single parenthood payments. Permanent residents must wait 104 weeks before they can access welfare. Ms Swiatlowska, who is now eligible to be paid welfare having become a citizen in March, wants to be backpaid from that date.
Mr Dutton had a blunt response, "If you’re not happy then pack your bags and off you go", he said. "When I read the Daily Telegraph this morning I thought it was April Fool's Day, I thought it was a joke." Mr Dutton said Australia had very generous welfare schemes, but would not be taken advantage of.
Thank you, Mr Dutton. I couldn't have said it better myself.
